How to Automate Your Pool Experience

Having a pool is supposed to be the height of relaxation, but when upkeep tasks start to encroach on precious downtime, pool owners begin to look for ways to simplify the process. These days there is a range of highly innovative products available to make pool ownership both carefree and exciting. Here’s a breakdown of what you need to automate your pool experience.

Variable Speed Pump Automation

As the heart of a pool system, the pool pump is one aspect that pool owners want to keep close tabs on. Innovative new variable speed pumps incorporate this capability so that pool owners have the option to adjust settings quickly and easily from their smart devices.?

Whether working at the office later than expected or away on vacation and needing to keep up with pool maintenance, having the opportunity to modify settings remotely has great advantages. Those who spend a lot of time away from home or just can’t often find the time to get outside and make adjustments can regain control with a variable speed pump that has smart capabilities.

The Speck BADU? Pro UVS Series offers a drop-in replacement for Hayward? Super Pump? and Pentair? SuperFlo?. This self-priming high-flow pump features:

• A universal automation control board (available on all models) that allows for smooth communication with all of the major equipment manufacturers.
• An exceptional replacement option for most pumps on the market.
• Available in 1.65, 2,25, and 2.7 THP VS.
• Quick disconnect unions for suction and discharge makes installation and maintenance easy.
• Energy Star compliant.
• The four-bolt design and handle make it easy to service.
• Digital inputs make it simple to connect to automation.
• And much more.

Chemical Monitoring and Dosing Automation

Pool chemical monitoring and dosing is a necessary, but sometimes time-consuming, process. Thankfully, the task can be greatly simplified with the addition of a Rola-Chem system. Rola-Chem offers a variety of equipment to take the labor and guesswork out of pool chemical monitoring and pool chemical dosing.

At the heart of Rola-Chem is their peristaltic pumps, which offer highly accurate dosing with a hands-off approach. When connected, the pumps feed liquid chlorine into the pool in precise increments, pre-set by the homeowner or pool service technician.??

To take the convenience factor another large step further, Rola-Chem also offers controllers which monitor chemical levels in the pool and control up to two sanitizer sources at a time. The controller works in conjunction with the peristaltic pump to maintain optimal chemical levels in the swimming pool.?

To make the installation of a full Rola-Chem system even easier, the company also offers ready-to-mount systems that incorporate both the pump(s) and controller for no-hassle pool chemical maintenance.

Pool Cleaning Automation

Consistently cleaning the debris that accumulates in a pool is another upkeep task that most pool owners would love to scratch off their to-do lists. Thanks to high-quality automatic cleaners, it’s a job that can now be mainly hands-off. The Volt? 550 LI from Water Tech does an exceptional job of cleaning both larger debris and incredibly fine sediment such as sand and silt.

This cleaner can be programmed to run on a daily or weekly cycle. It incorporates a rechargeable lithium battery and can be run for up to 30 minutes each day for an entire week on a single charge or for 4 hours at a time on a daily charge. The Volt filters an impressive 7200 gallons of water every hour. Volt is highly customizable with multiple cleaning options; for example, it can be set to clean both the pool walls and the floor or just the floor.

Volt also has a self-entering sensor, so it can tell when it has left the pool and needs to get back into the water. This eliminates the need to monitor the pool cleaner when in use. Pool owners need only program the preferred cleaning settings and use the included retrieval hook to pull the cleaner from the pool when the cleaning session is complete.

Pool Lighting Automation

There’s nothing like the ambiance of pool lighting. The light dancing on and in the water adds an exciting element to nighttime swimming and also enhances safety. Being able to adjust lighting remotely means uninterrupted relaxation time.

PAL Lighting offers pool lighting automation with their Pool Touch systems. The PAL Color Touch systems offer a host of advantages, including:

• The ability to regulate the voltage to the pool lights for a consistent 24V output.
• The ability to synchronize pool lighting throughout the pool.
• Customize color controls offering 16 million colors. No more limited color options.
• The option to adjust the brightness.
• The option to control lighting from a remote control or through a synced smart device.

Replacing bulbs on PAL Lighting pool lights, such as the EVENGLOW Sonar Retro Bulb, is quick and simple.

• Unscrew the light housing.
• Remove the old bulb from the housing.
• Remove the old seal.
• Check the housing for signs of wear and tear.
• Dry off the housing and the lens.
• Insert the new bulb and new seal.
• Submerge the housing and check for bubbles.
• Put the housing back in place and tighten screws.
• Check for air bubbles with the light turned on.

Pool Automation for Multiple Components

If full automation is the goal, there are plenty of options available. Many pool components that provide automation features have the ability to add automation for other pool components as well.?

Pool owners can get products to control pool heaters, underwater lighting, pool pumps, pool chemical dosing, motors, water features, and more. Intermatic makes a range of products for controlling various pool components. They offer controllers that are capable of switching loads for automating components that need to be switched on and off.

At Alpha West, we work with only the very best in the pool and spa industry. Interested in discovering more about the outstanding range of products and manufacturers we represent? Get in touch with our team of pool and spa manufacturer representatives at [email protected].